The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-08-24

/ that little assistance, for he who pays on
$1,000 only pays 10 cents and mills for
the support of the A. and NJ. College
| In other words, if he smokes, he only
pays the amount of four cigars for the
support of the college where 800 Missis-
| sippi boys are annually educated. But
while on this subject, / am not little
surprised to hear the objections TO the
A. and NJ. College from the Okolona
editor. 1t would seem that people have
| forgotten what transpired few years
ago. Capt. Frank Burkitt, the editor of
the paper mentioned, in 1878 was a trus-
tee of the A. and NJ. College, and with
other trustees made its location at
Starkville. In 1879, Capt. Burkitt, with
Others, purchased 800 acres of land
through the committee appointed by the
board. In the same year, two of their
number, Senator J. Il. George and Capt.
Burkitt, were sent TO the \. and NJ.
College in Michigan to see how 20 model
the one in Mississippi. In the same
year the board of trustees, among whom
was Capt. Burkitt, let out contract for
the college building at SIS,66S,37. Capt.
Burkitt with others formed an executive
committee to close the contract, etc.
In 1880, at meeting of the board, Capt.
another tract of land for the college.
In that same year the trustees, Capt.
Burkitt being one of them, passed
resolution requiring students to wear
uniforms when witkin FIVE miles of the
college. 1t will be remembered that at
all the foregoing meetings, and all that
will be hereafter spoken of, the record
shows Capt. Burkitt was present. In
1880, resolution was offered fixing
salary of the president at $500 per
annum, and that the board furnish him
with a house as residence. At the
the same meeting the salaries of the
professors were fixed at $1,000 each, each
professor having a family 20 be fur
nIshed with house as a residence. At
the same time the architect submitted
his plans for stewards hall, dormitory,
etc. all in one building, 263 feet IN
length, etc, containing dining room,
laundry e,c., fifty rooms on each of trst
and second floors, with tower iI6 feet in
height, which plans were adopted; also
plans for presidents aud professors
residences were adopted, aud that three
of such buildings should be erected on
the college farm. At the same time a
committee was appointed with authority
to make contracts for the erection OF the
dormitory and cottages, at au amount
not to exceed in the aggregate SO, 600,
With certain discretion, etc. In July,
1881, Capt. Burkitt again present, the
board authorized Gen. Lee to employ a
competent book-keeper at q salary, etc.
so it may be said without denial that
Capt. Burkitt, the great objector of the
A. NJ. College, was there at the "bornin."
He helped dress the infant, put its
clothes on, uursed it, and when he saw
it was full grown, doing good service,
for some reason it incurred the dis
pleasures of one of its godlathers.
Enough of the A. and NJ. College. Its
merits commend it to the public.
The next college is that of the girls,
that is the college for the white girls of
Mississippi located at Columbus. have
to say of this institution, first: That
the architecture of the building is fault
less. 1t is located in splendid com
munity, n community of cultivated
people, fine morals and abundant church
privileges, and l will add one of the
nandsomest cities in this State, and, as
for that, in almost any State, of the
same size. The president of the college
is a gifted and distinguished educator
and he has an unexceptioual corps of
teachers, he being the only gentleman
connected with the department of learn
ing. A half century ago the State con-
stitution made by our fathers declared
that Religion, morality and knowledge
being necessary to good government, the
preservation of liberty, and the happi-
ness of mankind, schools and the means
of education shall forever be encouraged
in this State" Now | assert that while
Mississippi has educated and Is educat-
ing her white boys and her pegro boys,
and assisting largely IN educating negro
girls, that the establishment OF the IN
dustrial College is the first dollar that
the State ever contributed for the sepa-
rate education of the white girls IN
State institution The object of this
great enterprise has won the admiration
of communities and States. The adyan-
tages of the institution are apparent
every day. The girls there learn ln-
dustries which give them employment
in numerous vOcatl0ns IN lie. New
avenues of industry are open to them be
cause of its teachings, and 1t may be
regarded as a happy advent INTO the
educational institutions OF our state.
In the great struggle through which we
have passed we have eudeayored to hold
up the heads of our women, and to-day,
in my judgment, the highest type OF
true womannood on the face Of the earth
is to be found in the Southern States;
and therefore let our girls be educated,
enlarge the sphere OF their influence,
and in the end they will become an I'M
portant factor in the economic resources
of the country. A moment longer ana
| am through with the Industrial Col
lege. | only want TO say that he who
pays on 100000 worth of taxable
property will pay little less than -
cents toward the S25,000 given to the
l. |. and q. college, and ! feel sure that
our men and women who pay taxes will
deny themselves that small pittance Tor
the sake of true womanhOOd
/ may say in a single word that the
Alcorn College for colored boys is pros
porous and succeeding admirably. Its
president and faculty are working in
harmony together, and the trustees, who
are composed in the main OF citizens
in the vicinity, look after the finances OF
the institution. The Tougaloo Univer-
sity and the Holly Springs Normal
School are, as L learn, doing well.
L beg now to address myself for a
short time to other matters touching
the interests of our State. 1t may be
safely affirmed to-day that more
millions of dollars have been invested
in Mississippi during the last five
years than in any previous twenty
years before or since the war. From
that conservative and reliable news
paper, the Natchez Democrat, / am re-
minded that history often repeats itself.
The distinguished editor states the fact
TO be that IN Natchez nearly half cen
tury ago, there was a cotton compress,
factory for the production OF cotton
goods, an oil mill, four banks of dis
count, we'll equipped railroad under
construction and building for thirty
miles, and shipping company organ
lied for the purpose of making direct
shipments from the port of Natchez to
all coastwise and foreign ports. While
these enterprises collapsed, possibly be-
fore the recollection of this generation,
they are being restored and improved
upon, and not only are factories and
other enterprises in prosperous work
ing order in the city of Natchez, but
they are in many places IN the State,
and it may be safely said that many Of
them are built and established with
Southern money; with money that has
been made by the Southern people. We
have during the past five years the
Louisville, New Orleans and Texas rail-
road, running from Memphis to New
Orleans, entirely through our State, and
through one of the most fertile regions
on the continent. We haze also the
road running from jackson to Yazoo
City and on TO Greenwood and beyond,
trayersin,, a splendid and fertile coun-
try. Then the road from Kosciusko to
the city of Aberdeen; then the road
from Durant to the City of Lexington,